


Mauve and Dangerous

by danceswithgary



Category: Smallville
Genre: Clexmas, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-30
Updated: 2018-01-30
Packaged: 2019-03-11 14:43:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,985
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13526448
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/danceswithgary/pseuds/danceswithgary
Summary: "It's mauve and dangerous and 30 seconds from the center of Smallville."Clexmas 2017-2018 for tasabianSubmitted to the CLexmas Collection but the challenge seems to be dead, so here it is.





	Mauve and Dangerous

**Author's Note:**

  * For [tasabian](https://archiveofourown.org/users/tasabian/gifts).



Lex slews up the Kent's driveway in his Porsche, skids to a stop in a spray of slush, and rolls down his window to call for Clark. A flannel-clad Clark runs out of the barn, puzzled by Lex's urgency. "Hey, Lex. We were supposed to meet at the Talon at six. It's only four, what's up?"

"Get in. Get in," Lex answers. "I'm going to need help from the resident hero. Good thing you're home on Christmas break."

Clark climbs in without arguing and they drive out of the farm and onto the road in silence. Although they'd both promised not to ask questions of each other - to avoid arguments about secrets and lies - this is one occasion that makes it tough. Lex finally takes pity on Clark's fidgeting and starts to explain. "There was a demo at the plant today and it went very wrong." Lex stops at the crossroad to glance in all directions. "Damn, I lost it again."

Peering through the windshield, Clark spots something odd moving slowly three cornfields away. "Uh, over there." He points. "Is that what you've been looking for?" 

Leaning forward, Lex squints in the direction Clark indicated. "I think so." He throws the car back into gear and guns it down the adjacent dirt road. 

"Lex, why are we chasing the purple? Pink? Blobby thing?" asks Clark as he braces one hand against the dashboard for balance on the bumpy ride.

With a jerk of his head, Lex corrects him. "It's _mauve_ and dangerous and 30 seconds from the center of Smallville."

Clark studies their quarry through the windshield before shaking his head. "It's not moving that fast. I'd say closer to an hour, hour and a half maybe. Is it poisonous?"

"No, but it could roll over someone and suffocate them." Lex shakes his head, his voice dripping with disgust. "It almost got one of my idiot security guards. He actually thought bullets would work on gel-foam and was too busy shooting to get out of the way."

Clark chuckles. "I think even old Widow Pratt could outrun that thing now that her walker has wheels."

"That may be," Lex frowns as the car shudders to a stop next to a fence. "I'd rather not find out the hard way." 

On the other side of the fence, the blob had rolled close enough to make out the corn stalks and bits of chaff it had picked up during its perambulations. Clark turns to Lex to ask, "So what is it exactly? Is it alive?"

Lex shook his head. "The project was to develop a better method for extinguishing fires, especially in labs with delicate, expensive equipment. This foam compound is supposed to be attracted to heat and will spread over it to seal out oxygen, but stay thin enough that a human could wipe it away from their face and breathe. We're looking for something safer than halon gas." 

"And it got away during a test." Clark wrinkles his face in puzzlement. "Well, it looks like it would leave more mess than halon gas, but if it saves lives...?"

"Actually, it was supposed to dry up to a powder that can be vacuumed up, filtered, and then reconstituted to be used again," Lex explains, his tone more than a little exasperated. "Now, I have the scientists in the project working on a solvent to stop the thing, while you and I keep track of it. Unfortunately, my security doesn't happen to keep flame throwers on hand, otherwise they could have stopped it before it left the plant, and I didn't trust the Keystone Kops to follow it without shooting something else by accident." 

The blob is still approaching. Clark watches it for a few moments then says, "It's freezing out there, but it doesn't seem to have slowed it down any." 

Lex nods, "It's seeking heat. I saw it roll up to a cow, but it wouldn't let the thing get close. The cow was obviously smarter than my security guard." Tapping on the windshield he adds, "It's aiming for the car's engine now. We'll have to move in a few minutes." He sighs. "I thought about leading it into a field using my car as a lure, then setting the field on fire to force it to spread out and evaporate, but I don't smoke. No lighter or matches in my glove box."

"They didn't use any of the meteorites for the compound, did they?" Clark asks worriedly. "That could explain the weird behavior."

Lex considers for a moment before shaking his head. "I issued a company-wide notice than all meteorite material was to be gathered into a containment room and that it was off-limits for research." He shrugs. "That said, restraining scientists can be like herding cats. Really stupid cats, in this case, that keep jumping on the hot stove after they've been burned."

"So I better not let it touch me then." Clark purses his lips and puffs out a long breath. "Green is bad enough, but if the pink..."

Lex interrupts. "Mauve."

Clark cocks an eyebrow and huffs out a laugh. "Okay. Mauve. If it's from red kry...uh, meteorite, then you need to stay away if I get any on me."

"Get any on you?" Ignoring Clark's slip, Lex frowns and asks gruffly, "What are you talking about? It's not like I'm asking you to wrestle it into submission."

Biting his lip, Clark ducks his head and doesn't meet Lex's eyes when he answers. "Remember that time I wanted you to run away to Metropolis with me?"

"Back when you were in high school. And?" Lex prompts quietly. 

"There was red meteorite in my class ring. It's sort of like a drug." Clark peeks up through his lashes, his smile sheepish. "It...uh...removes my inhibitions."

Lex fumbles for his door and there are clicks as the door locks engage. "So, that means you should stay in the car, Clark. Just keep me company while we wait for my cleanup crew to arrive. I'll call them and let them know where we are." 

Reaching out and stopping Lex before he can pull out his cell phone, Clark flashes a brilliant smile. "I really can trust you, can't I?"

"Of course," Lex replies, looking baffled at the non sequitur. "Always."

Clark places his hand on the door latch and says, "Then you'll need to trust me. Let me out. I can fix this."

"How? Lex asks, his hand hovering for a few moments before he hit the lock release. "Can I help?"

Clark points to a stand of trees at the far edge of the field, about a hundred yards away. "Mr. Stanton raises Christmas trees, and that batch got hit by a blight last year. They're all dead and should burn pretty easily." 

"Still no matches or lighter, Clark," Lex reminds him. "Are you planning to rub two sticks together?"

Clark reaches out to gently touch Lex's face. "I'll show you in a minute. I want to do something else first."

Lex shifts in his seat to fully face Clark, careful not to dislodge Clark's warm fingers. He leans closer and licks his lips. "What, Clark?"

"This." Clark closes the distance between them and presses his lips against Lex's, humming softly against their connection. After a few moments they pull apart, a happy daze on both faces. Clark smiles and says, "I want you to know it's real, just in case," then opens the door and steps out of the car before Lex can say a word.

Lex scrambles to open his door and follow. He calls out "Clark!" but Clark is already a small figure in the distance, a speedy red blotch against brown trees. With a sigh, Lex climbs back into his car, knowing what he needs to do. Revving the engine, he drives as close to the fence as he can and slowly leads the blob in the same direction. As they trundle along, Lex watches anxiously for a sign. A few minutes later, he sees a billow of smoke rising in the crisp air as well as a flicker of flame at the edge of the tree lot. The closer they get, the faster the blob rolls, clearly heading for the growing flames. It isn't long before the maverick foam is spreading across the dead wood and fulfilling its purpose, leaving a thin mauve film behind, the fire completely suppressed.

Lex parks and gets out of the car, sighing in relief when he spots Clark emerging from the far end of the lot. Before he can call out, Clark is there, next to Lex in a swirl of dead pine needles and dust from the field.

"Are you okay? Did you get any of it on you?" Lex asked, reaching out pluck a twig from Clark's shaggy curls. "And how did you do that?" slips out, completely breaking their mutual promise.

Fortunately, Clark seems okay with that. "I'm fine." Reaching out, Clark smiles and tugs Lex close to kiss him again. It's another minutes or so before they separate. "Thought I'd get another of those in before I tell you I'm an alien, and that I started the fire with my heat vision."

Lex looks back at Clark, desire and love warring with bafflement on his face as he struggles to find words. He finally manages, "Are you sure it didn't touch you?"

"Yeah, I am," Clark chuckles. "This is all me, but how about we go back to your place and make sure I'm clean, then I'll prove it."

Frowning up at Clark, Lex grumbles, "Okay, but that really wasn't fair because now I have to wait for more because you might be under the influence."

Lex tugs himself free to lead them to the car, but then Clark looks down at his dusty, sap-slimed clothes and grimaces. "I should probably just run home to get cleaned up. I don't want to get your car filthy."

To give Lex some credit, he doesn't pause more than one or two seconds before insisting, "Don't be ridiculous. Enrique can get out any stain known to man. Besides, I have infinite gallons of hot water. He clears his throat, his cheeks reddened from more than the cold. "And my shower is big enough for two." He stretches out his hand to brush some pine needles from Clark's flannel-clad chest. "I have clothes, too. In your size."

"Do you?" Humor dances in Clark's eyes. "Why am I not surprised?"

Lex shrugs, but doesn't take the bait, choosing to climb into the car and pull out his cell phone. A few button presses and he's barking instructions to his security force, explaining where the blob had ended up and ordering them to use all caution in the cleanup. Closing the phone, he turns to Clark, who has joined him in the car. "I'll send a check to Stanton to cover the damage."

"I'm sure he'll appreciate it since the trees were already a loss," Clark replies, amusement coloring his attempt to be serious. "Are we done?"

Lex nods and turns on the car, carefully pulling off the verge and onto the road. There is silence in the car as they make their way to the castle, until Lex suddenly blurts out, "You're an alien?" He quickly retracts the question. "Wait, let's get you cleaned up before you say anything else."

Leaning back in the seat, Clark bursts into laughter, saying, "So, does that mean you'll scrub my back?"

The Porsche leaps forward at that, its velocity increasing to levels decidedly unsafe for Kansas back roads.

Clark reaches out and covers Lex's hand on the gear knob, teasing, "I'd really like us to get there in one piece."

"Me, too." Lex flicks a heated look at Clark before returning his attention to the road, their speed diminishing to mildly dangerous. "Me, too."

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by a funny exchange between the Doctor and Rose in "The Empty Child" (2005)
> 
> Giftee: Tasabian
> 
> Fic Types and Ratings? Lighthearted fic
> 
> Fic Prompts: Set in winter.


End file.
